Touring Kayaks

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Recent Touring Kayak Reviews

Wilderness Systems Tsunami 140 with Rudder

The Wilderness Tsumani 14' is a touring kayak that is a well balanced boat with plenty of storage room for either day trips or overnight treks. This kayak paddles easy — and is durable for the mountain lakes and slower rivers. A user friendly boat that provides no nonsense enjoyment where you launch. I have used this boat to teach numerous beginners. Best suited for entry to mid level paddlers looking for options to get out on the water. Plenty of storage capacity with easy entry and exit. The… Full review

Impex Kayak Montauk

A true sports car in the world of kayaks, the low-volume Impex Montauk is a classic amongst Greenland or British style boats. Even in the limited and more refined world of skeg boats, she scores amongst the top for her responsiveness, stability, and comfort. Background: After 8 years of paddling and owning multiple kayaks of various styles and sizes, I was fortunate to come across an ad for an Impex Montauk on Craigslist. My very first touring kayak was a Seda Swift, and while a great boat in its… Full review

Eddyline Sea Star

Solid kayak with a nice balance of volume, speed, and stability. Glad to see that these fine kayaks are still out there. After trying various kayaks at Seattle's NWOC and renting a couple different models from Eddyline through the 1990's, I decided on a Sea Star. My 1999 Sea Star was purchased used from the owner of Eddyline around 2002. It was one of his personal boats with a custom two-color fade on the top deck. It was stored under his home's north eave next to a cherry tree and was looking… Full review

Eddyline Sea Star

Amazing kayak. Very well built and designed. Its long water line gives it speed and allows it to track well. Moderate to high-volume boat which can be used on anything from weekends to longer expeditions. Rudder is probably its Achilles heel and can lose its shape in very hot weather. All in all a superb craft. I have been the proud owner of an Eddyline Sea Star since the very early '90s and it's difficult to say enough good things about it. I've taken this boat on twelve-day salt and freshwater… Full review

Eddyline Sea Star

The 18' 6" Sea Star is long out of production and Eddyline's longest boat now is just over 16'. I have the Kevlar version and it is, at that length, FAST! I bought this kayak when it first came out in '91 partly because Tom Derrer, the owner of Eddyline, changed the stern profile at my suggestion at the LL Bean 1990 Sea Kayak Symposium. I was amazed he did this. Of course the main reason was that here was an American designed and built sea kayak of very high quality materials and construction that… Full review

Perception Carolina 14

My first kayak... Found for $150 on CL and I love it. Still looking for a spray skirt, but otherwise, I've had quite few nice paddles in the south sound with this boat.
It's sturdy, yet easy to maneuver. Full review

Necky Looksha 12

The Necky Looksha 12 is well designed and the right size for us. My wife and I are in our early 50s and we started kayaking in the spring of 2014. The Necky Looksha 12 is a quality designed and built product that has a good blend of features that work for us. The 12s are big enough that we won't outgrow them and small enough to store and transport. The two compartments are big enough to carry gear for overnight trips. My wife likes relaxing paddles in lakes. I've had my 12 in windy rivers, waves,… Full review

Wilderness Systems Zephyr 160

Great "big water" ride. Fast and maneuverable. Love this kayak. Did quite a bit of research prior to the purchase last spring (2013). The rocker and narrow width make this kayak easy to maneuver and quick in a straight line. Initial stability is OK and while the width is only 23.5 inches it offers plenty of leg room. (I am 6' 0" and weigh 200 lbs.) The seat is super comfortable as Wilderness Systems seats are traditionally known to be. The skeg definitely helps in windy conditions. This is… Full review

LiquidLogic Remix XP 10

Great all-around boat. Yes, there are boats better suited for flat-water or whitewater, but it nicely combines the best of both worlds. As stated in the summary, great all-around boat. Handles Class 2/3 with ease and is what I'd consider "good enough" for shorter flat-water excursions. The storage available makes it a good choice for overnight river trips that may include some whitewater along the route. While the width is great for stability, it does make it a little difficult to roll. Overall… Full review